The Importance of Making & Selling Quality Products

Artists and makers face many challenges in the retail world.  Pricing, foot traffic, online sales, and our very reputations rely on the quality of product we make and sell.  We must always consider the fact that we are competing in a ‘bigger-badder-faster” retail world where mass manufactured goods reign supreme.  In such a retail setting, the quality of our supplies and the quality of our finished products are paramount to the success of our businesses.  

I made the choice early on in my business journey that I would never cut corners on quality supplies and whenever possible, I wanted to purchase supplies from other small businesses.  You might be thinking, “But I can’t afford high quality supplies.”  Yes, you can.  You have to decide to make this a priority.  

In order to make this possible, I had to think outside of the box.  How was I going to afford the best supplies?  I didn’t have a big business loan.  I literally started out using what I had on hand and creating what I could with those supplies.  I’m thrifty by nature, so coupons and sales were an easy way to buy my favorite supplies.  I scoured online websites and comparison-shopped.  I checked popular sites like Amazon (I have Prime which means I don’t pay any shipping).  RetailMeNot is my favorite coupon code resource.  I have found that many times, shopping directly from company websites saves me the most money.  If you have a business license and a Tax ID number, many companies allow you to shop wholesale which means you don’t pay any sales tax and many times you get better pricing.  Additionally, I’ve learned the power of the trade.  I do lots of trading with fellow crafts people.  I have one customer that does business with me solely in trade.  I love it!  She brings me fun vintage treasures to repurpose or tear apart and use in my projects.  I keep a ledger for the value of the goods she brings me and then we trade in product that I have made or she places custom orders.  It’s been a win-win for both of us.  It saves us money.  We both get the things we need or want, and best of all, we both feel good helping each other out in our business endeavors.  

Once you’ve determined the best way to obtain high quality supplies and materials, it’s time to turn your attention to the quality of the product(s) you make.  Before you list a product or put it on display at a show, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is this my best work?
• Is this a product that I would buy? (Consider just the quality of the work done.)

If your answer is “No” to either of these questions, then you need to take the time to make the changes necessary to ensure your very best quality of product is put up for sale.  If it’s a sign, are the margins even?  Is the text centered?  Are there any areas that need to be retouched with paint?  Is the vinyl bubbling up or peeling?  Is this tumbler BPA free?  Are all of my embellishments securely glued in place?  If it’s a banner, is my stringing material fraying?  Did I catch all the hot glue “threads?” If you're a writer, did you proofread before posting or submitting your piece?  Did you meet your customer's needs?  Are you on topic?

The bottom line is this:  attention to detail and quality supplies are everything in our line of work.  In order to stand out above the mass-produced, cookie cutter gifts, décor, and media, we must have an edge.  Using high quality supplies and selling the highest quality of products gives us that edge.  It’s the first impression our customers will have of us as artists and it’s the one and only chance we have to win return customers.  Using high quality supplies doesn’t mean you have to price yourself out of the market.  Be creative.  Think outside the box.  Be thrifty—not cheap—and remember that while you may not make a large margin on big-ticket items, high quality, handmade “smalls” have huge margins and it all evens out in the end.